The art of statesmanship is to foresee the inevitable and to expedite its occurrence.

Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Fending off Anarchy

I’m pretty booked up this week, so comment will have to be deferred, but I encourage you to make the time to read this spot-on, very insightful post on the “My Sandmen” blog: “Termites in the House of Cards” concerning the nature of our non-State, non governmental enemies. (Hat Tip: Daisy Cutter, and Hugh Hewitt). The original post, and many of the comments are worth the investment of some time and thought.

Many commentators look with favor on the totally wired, totally globalized world that is arriving, that of the "market state" as Philip Bobbitt has called it. Call me a skeptic, concerned that, in our haste to knit together a new world, that we not instead usher in instead a world of anarchy, of all against all, with civilisation on the permanent defensive against criminals and warlords. The wars on terror seem to me to be the downside of a globalized world. We are happy to accept the fruits of globalization; to buy grapes year round, and exchange e-mails 24/7 with Europe, but not so happy with the downside, the idea that delusional fanatics from 14th century prison-houses can one day ram aircraft in to skyscrapers.

As once before in Roman times, and again since 1648, the institution of the State, in its monarchial and nation-state guises, has been the most fundamental and reliable guarantor of the physical and economic security of most people that humans have been able to devise. The development of strong states has been a boon in particular to Americans, providing stable prosperity and liberty for millions. Despite the horrible wars of the nation-state, this institution has indubitably been worth it.

Today the nation state is under threat from many quadrants: from unaccountable and unelected international bureaucracies and lawyers; from media and corporate elites which have moved beyond national loyalties; from nihilistic fanatics who reject God in the name of God, or of earthly gods; from terrorists and criminal gangs with no national locus or infrastructure to be attacked, among others. All of these groups, in different ways, threaten our civilisation, and must not allowed to bring on a new Dark Age.

Most of us take for granted the good times Americans have enjoyed since the end of the last World War. But this life is under threat, and as Victor D. Hanson reminds us, everything can change. Finding a means of accommodating the nation-state to the scientific, economic and social conditions of the wired and globalized world is probably the most urgent political task of our time, and is the key to winning the wars against the terrorists, and securing a safe future for our children.

2 comments:

louielouie
said...

i used to read major mike all the time when he posted at his own blog. since he teamed with mr. atos & dueler88, i haven't been there much.mr. atos sort of reminds me of wretched lite.it is good to read someone who can express in words the thoughts they have.that's my way of saying, "that's what i thought all along".